Duan Rong stood at the entrance of the front courtyard, tiptoeing to look into the inner courtyard.
He also heard Zhu Xiaoqi's shouting, as if something had happened to the second young mistress.
Duan Rong had a good impression of Xiao Baijiao, but since the inner courtyard was a private place, it wasn't appropriate for an outsider like him to enter without the owner's consent.
As he was feeling anxious, he suddenly saw a flash of red, as if blazing fire, sweeping through the halls and passing by with a whoosh.
Duan Rong felt a blur in front of his eyes; a red figure had already passed by the entrance of the inner courtyard, flashed past his side, and by the time he turned his head, it had disappeared outside the front courtyard entrance.
He paused in slight surprise, and suddenly thought, wasn't that red shadow just Zhu Xiaoqi?
A chill ran slightly down Duan Rong's spine.
"It's... Qinggong!"
Xiao Zongting truly was an old Jianghu who once held the position of chief leader; even a maid in Xiao Mansion was so deeply hidden and undisclosed!
This level of Qinggong must surely rival the experts in the Jianghu!
Qinggong, unlike other martial arts, isn't easily taught.
All major forces in Xianggu County have their ways of recruiting talents, but none are known for teaching Qinggong!
And Zhu Xiaoqi's Qinggong was naturally taught by Xiao Zongting.
"This little girl likely has some connection with the Xiao family, definitely not just an ordinary maid," Duan Rong thought with a flicker in his eyes.
Half an incense stick later, Zhu Xiaoqi, carrying a medicine box, was pushing a chubby old man of over sixty swiftly into the front courtyard.
Gu Suxiu was already panting and sweating after being dragged such a long distance by Zhu Xiaoqi.
"Xiaoqi... stop pushing! We've arrived! Let me catch my breath..."
"Doctor Gu, there's no time to wait!"
Zhu Xiaoqi pushed Gu Suxiu into the inner courtyard.
"Xiaoqi, is the second young mistress... will she be alright?" Duan Rong asked with concern as they passed by.
Duan Rong wasn't just making polite conversation; he was truly worried about Xiao Baijiao!
Not just because Xiao Baijiao was such a pure yet alluring, remarkably graceful woman, but also because he felt an instant affinity upon seeing her for the first time.
Zhu Xiaoqi turned her flushed face to glance at Duan Rong but had no time to speak as she pushed Gu Suxiu into the rear courtyard.
Duan Rong waited for over half an hour.
He finally saw Xiao Zongting personally escorting Gu Suxiu, who was carrying a medicine box, out, talking as they walked.
Xiao Zongting's face was ashen, as dark as soot from a stove.
Seeing Xiao Zongting's expression, Duan Rong knew Xiao Baijiao's illness must be serious!
"It seems it's not a common illness..."
Xiao Zongting escorted Gu Suxiu to the gate and watched him leave for a while before turning back.
Xiao Zongting walked into the courtyard, fixing his gaze on Duan Rong standing there.
Duan Rong asked, "The second young mistress's illness..."
Xiao Zongting waved his hand, interrupting Duan Rong, and scolded, "Don't speak nonsense when you leave!"
Duan Rong quickly bowed his head in submission.
Xiao Zongting took out a booklet from his chest, handed it to Duan Rong, and said, "This is the second level of the Five Tigers and Sheep Saber secret manual. I need to take care of that child, Bai Jiao, and might be busy for a while. You practice it on your own, and come back in ten days!"
Duan Rong took the manual and replied, "Yes. Things will work out for the best; the second young mistress's illness will surely get better!"
Xiao Zongting initially wanted to guide Duan Rong after asking Kong Bin to leave, but due to Bai Jiao's sudden issue, he genuinely didn't have the mind for it now.
After instructing, Xiao Zongting headed towards the rear courtyard but suddenly turned back, saying, "Be sure to inform Kong Bin as well. I'll be busy recently!"
Duan Rong softly agreed, watching Xiao Zongting's figure disappear into the rear courtyard, then put away the manual and left Xiao Zongting's courtyard.
Duan Rong descended the steps before Xiao Zongting's courtyard entrance, a bit lazily.
He wondered how such a pure yet alluring woman like Xiao Baijiao could suddenly fall ill.
Thinking about this, he couldn't help but sigh.
Just as he was about to leave, he noticed a flash of white in the flower bed at the gate, caught by the sun.
Going closer to take a look, he found a silver needle lying on the branches and leaves, reflecting the sunlight and shining.
Duan Rong picked up the needle, thought for a moment, and guessed it was probably dropped by Doctor Gu when Zhu Xiaoqi was pushing him.
His eyes turned, and he contemplated, silently mouthing, "Read Artifact Spirit."
Artifact: White Hair Silver Needle
Artifact Spirit Tier: Tier One
Devouring Requirements: Host's Spiritual Power Level 1 (Satisfied)
Devouring Effect: Mastery of Plum Blossom Needle Technique.
"It's actually at the master level!"
Duan Rong was quite surprised; it seemed that Doctor Gu, despite being chubby, was indeed skillful in his medical practice.
At least from this needle technique realm, one could get a glimpse of his proficiency.
"This Plum Blossom Needle Technique clearly isn't martial arts, it should be an acupuncture technique. However, reaching a master level in this technique likely means it's not easy to master either!"
Duan Rong's eyes flickered; he took out the manual Xiao Zongting had given him from his inner pocket, opened it to the third page, inserted the silver needle, closed the manual, and put it back properly.
Seeing it was mealtime, he turned his steps toward the canteen in the middle courtyard.
Even though he was worried about Xiao Baijiao, it couldn't stop him from eating!
After eating at the central courtyard canteen, Duan Rong went to the Martial Arts Arena, found a secluded corner, and began his stance practice.
Worrying was useless; he might as well practice diligently, maybe it would come in handy!
Duan Rong, from then on, practiced tirelessly every day!
Three days later, at dawn, Duan Rong suddenly let out a sharp whistle, and a thick stream of white vapor, as thick as an infant's arm, shot out from his mouth, ascending diagonally more than a zhang high before dispersing.
"The First Level of Inner Breath is achieved!"
Duan Rong rotated slightly and felt the surging power running through his meridians, and the inner breath in his meridians and dantian had reached the thickness of a hairpin.
Duan Rong exhaled a long breath of impure air, a radiant smile on his tired face.
In these three days, except for one trip out of the escort agency to buy Blood Deer Antler at the herbal shop, he had been on a dormitory-to-Martial Arts Arena schedule.
His feet seemed to have rooted in the Martial Arts Arena.
After mastering the First Level of Inner Breath, Duan Rong immediately began attempting the practice of the Second Level of Inner Breath.
It was dawn.
The plan for a day echoes in the morning, how could it be wasted?
Though Xiao Zongting had given him the second level secret manual, in truth, he no longer needed the Five Tigers and Sheep Saber second level secret manual.
He had already consumed and absorbed the Artifact Spirit of an unsharpened broadsword in the Inner Warehouse, gaining the second level Inner Power Heart Method and the Master Level martial arts realm.
Nonetheless, he couldn't say this Five Tigers and Sheep Saber manual was of no use to him at all.
At least it served as cover; if one day he exposed his mastery in the Five Tigers and Sheep Saber, no one could claim he learned it illicitly.
It was a legitimate teaching by Elder Xiao.
Duan Rong took a piece of Blood Deer Antler, stood in a rounded stance, guiding his spiritual power into his dantian, and began operating the hairpin-thick inner breath inside as per the Second Level Inner Power Heart Method.
After standing for just half an hour, the piece of Blood Deer Antler in his mouth had already transformed into saliva flowing into his stomach.
He immediately took another piece.
"The circuit for the Second Level Inner Breath is incredibly complex and winding!"
Having swallowed and absorbed the Artifact Spirit, Duan Rong effectively gained direct experience in operating the Second Level Inner Breath, thus it should have been effortless.
But after just half an hour had passed, he felt a slight fatigue.
"It's the spiritual power!"
"Such a complex circuit for inner breath is incredibly draining on spiritual power!"
"Could this be the true meaning of martial arts relying on spiritual power as its core?"
An hour later, Duan Rong consumed another piece of Blood Deer Antler.
By this time, his condition had shifted from slight fatigue to a sense of heaviness, and due to ongoing spiritual power consumption, the efficiency of his inner breath circulation had decreased.
Furthermore, throughout the next hour, he noticed another phenomenon in his body, a distinct sense of depletion.
The medicinal effect of the Blood Deer Antler seemed insufficient for the second level Inner Breath practice!